We try to buy ingredients made or grown as local/regional as possible to where we live. This isn’t all or nothing, and it isn’t about being perfect. We do the best we can within our budget. And hey, we still enjoy tropical fruit, nuts, olive oil, chocolate, and coffee (among other things).
One important thing to keep in mind is that “local” is wherever you are – so when we travel, “local” changes with the location.
Our home base is in Connecticut, so for the most part, that’s our “local,” and essentially, we use a 100-mile radius as a starting guideline.
Why Local?
First and foremost, it’s fresher, and you can taste the difference. Second, sourcing ingredients locally allows us to know the farmer and how our food was grown/raised/produced. Third, it also keeps our money local and supports people directly where we live/work/stay.